#FlyBuy - GW16

Quick and dirty article from me this week. Duty calls and I'm off to do some pre-Christmas visiting of friends and family. It was a pretty poor showing from last week's pick, Samir Nasri, however if you managed to catch his performance in the Champions League in midweek you will perhaps see why I tipped him. Leicester up next so there is still time for him to come good in the allocated 5 week window that I base FlyBuy picks on. 

Onto this week's pick then. No messing about as I said. with the confirmation of Aguero's long term injury absence, many FPL managers need a replacement. With Man City's favourable run of fixtures it makes sense to go one for one to ensure continued coverage. Unfortunately due to injury both of City's backup strikers don't have the form worthy of them being an obvious choice. With Stevan Jovetic still active as a previous FlyBuy pick back in GW11 it's not going to be him. Which leaves only one option; The man who usually steps up to the plate during Aguero's inevitable injury lay-offs. 

With 10 goals in 14 games last season when he stood in, he has previous for relishing in the role of main man at the Etihad. Let's see if Eden Dzeko can hit the ground running and fill Aguero's unfillable boots... 

FLY 

@meet_the_gadfly 

FlyBuy picks to date (only takes into account 5 GWs):

 

GW1 - Calum Chambers (ARS) - Points: 1 / 0 / 8 / 1 / 5 

GW2 - Steven Pienaar (EVE) - Points: 1 / 0 (inj) / DNP / DNP / DNP 

GW3 - Siem de Jong (NEW) - Points: 2 (inj) / DNP / DNP / DNP / DNP 

GW4 - Marko Arnautovic (STO) - Points: DNP / 1 / 3 / 2 / 0 

GW5 - Yaya Toure (MCY) - Points: 1 / 2 / 11 / 1 / 2 

GW6 - Wilfried Bony (SWA) - Points: 1 / 6 / 7 / 13 / 1 

GW7 - Kevin Nolan (WHU) - Points: 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 

GW8 - Adam Lallana (LIV) - Points: 3 / 3 / DNP / DNP / 5 

GW9 - Ross Barkley (EVE) - Points: 1 / 3 / 2 / 5 / 2 

GW10 - Santi Cazorla (ARS) - Points: 3 / 2 / 0 / 8 / 3 

GW11 - Stevan Jovetic (MCY) - Points: DNP / 8 / 1 / 10 / DNP 

GW12 - Gabby Agbonlahor (AVL) - Points: 9 / 2 / 2 / 1 

GW13 - Aaron Ramsey (ARS) - Points: 3 / 6 / 7 

GW14 - Jason Puncheon (CRY) - Points: 1 / 1 

GW15 - Samir Nasri (MCY) - Points: 3

#FlyBuy - DGW34

I won't get all smug about last week. Suffice to say that my FlyBuy pick (and Matej's #CalledIt selection) was Christian Eriksen, who accrued 15 points. Nice.

Although this certainly wasn't a "safe" pick by any stretch of the imagination, I feel the time is right to choose a player who falls very firmly into the "risk" bracket. As we are all aware, GW34 is a double gameweek; not on the scale of GW31 but a double all the same.

Unfortunately, if I want to select a player who plays for one of the four clubs playing twice, I am somewhat handicapped by the parameters of FlyBuy. Namely, that the player MUST be from a club currently between 5th and 15th in the Premier League, with an ownership percentage of between 3 and 20%.

So, this counts out ANY Man City, Everton or Sunderland players. Which leaves Crystal Palace. Although in a stunning run of good form, not many of their players are owned by more than 3% of all FPL managers. To be precise, only 5 of their squad meet this criteria. Of those, Danny Gabbidon has not played since the start of Feb so he can be discounted immediately. Julian Speroni, Joel Ward and Jason Puncheon are in form, and therefore don't meet the other parameter of Flybuy; namely the selection must be a player who - for one reason or another - has been out of the points who I predict can rediscover some form and start performing. In FPL terms, this means providing points worthy of taking a punt and getting them in your team.

This leaves a choice of one. A very risky choice of one. So, I either play safe and select from a non-DGW team, or put my head above the parapet and risk getting shot down by you lot.

Well, screw it. In for a penny, in for a pound. I'm going for it. By that I don't mean I will be drafting him into my own team (I'm not stupid), but for those who do like to take a risk, it could pay off handsomely. Or not. Who knows.

 

So, of whom do I refer? A Palace player, owned by more than 3% of FPL managers, who hasn't been amongst the points recently, but who in games against Aston Villa (H) and Everton (A) could provide a return? Surprisingly (to me at least) he has scored 5 goals this season, provided 2 assists and accumulated the maximum award of 3 Bonus Points on no less than 3 occasions. He rarely plays 90 minutes (8 times in the 29 matches he has featured) and has in fact only played 27 minutes (in GW33) since the start of March.

I'm almost ashamed to write this, as this guy has been a bit of a figure of fun to me on Twitter for a while now. Do I...don't I....aaargghhh!! I've written too much of the article to back out now.

OK, deep breath...here we go...

This weeks FlyBuy pick, and the player I recommend you bring into your team for DGW34 is...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Marouane Chamakh



*Runs Away and hides*



For what it's worth, I've brought Joe Ledley into my own team, but his ownership stat is just 0.1%

Now THERE'S a differential! I tipped him last week, a few people drafted him in (along with Eriksen) and I received a lot of lovely Twitter messages from managers thanking me for the 26 points these two players alone provided. I had neither in my own team, hence red arrows for the 3rd consecutive GW for the first time this season.

Overall, my rank has plummeted from 1959th prior to DGW31 to 9239th prior to DGW34. Gutted. I'm fielding 9 DGW players this week (took a -8 points hit) and these are:

MANNONE / KOMPANY / BAINES / DANN / LEDLEY / A JOHNSON / YAYA / DZEKO / LUKAKU (C)

These 9 will be backed up by single GW Suarez and Gerrard.

I really need a break in fortunes to stop my season imploding in dramatic fashion as we approach the final furlong.

Good luck to you all. Catch you on the flip side of DGW34!

FLY

@meet_the_gadfly

Bantasy Football: Looking at United

It’s slim pickings this week – but you knew that already. Assuming you’re without your wildcard and you still have designs on being relevant at the end of the season, it’s time to start thinking hard about double gameweeks.

You would be my first choice... if there were no other choices

Manchester United: A rose by any other name?

The name used to be synonymous with success and dynasty. Now it conjures contemplations of underachievement, questionable management and a disaffected dressing room. When Roy Carroll is taking the piss, you know you’re in trouble. But Man U players could be the inspirational picks that let you waltz to the top of your mini-league and stay there until the final whistle blows on 11^th May.

United have the best remaining schedule of any team – with no fantasy break. Their only tough fixtures are against Liverpool and City. Both are at Old Trafford. Both are also ritual goal fests in which the formbook is shredded, defenestrated and roundhouse kicked in the balls by Chuck Norris. If you’re still worried about the City game, don’t be – they also face Wham three days earlier as part of a double GW. The Hammers top the clean sheet table but tend to concede heavily at Upton Park for some reason – and lost 3-1 to United in the reverse fixture.

RVP (13.6m)

The Dutchman's return from injury hasn't been spectacular but it’s been crucial in United’s quest to obtain a top four berth. He’s scored four in his first five games back from injury – not bad considering how his teammates were getting all up in his area.

RVP's area - stay out

More consistent than a vegan’s stool, more effortlessly reliable than Tom Selleck and more imposing than a topless Putin; RVP is a great buy if you can bear to part with the newly omnipresent SAS pairing (Suarez and Sturridge).  Maybe your budget isn't big enough. Maybe you’re reluctant to gamble on the most injury-prone player since Jaime Redknapp, but he’s only owned by 16.7% of FPL managers compared to Suarez's ownership of 50.3% – now that's what I call butter. 

When not strutting stuff, Jaime ponders how good he could have been, had he ever played 3 games in a row

Rooney (11.1m)

The £85m man costs a mere £11.1m in the fantasy world. That’s a snip when you consider he’s bagged 8 or more points 11 times this season, making him excellent skipper material. His goal against Palace ended a 9 game baron spell but, much like Leonardo Di Caprio, he will inevitably rise from the ashes of shame and show us what he’s made of. It’s worth remembering that you won’t have to pay him £300,000 a week, and if he’s awful you can just blame Moyes like everyone else does.

Best Before: 2014

Januzaj (4.8m)

It’s staggering how many people neglect the first rule of fantasy football – No Man Utd midfielders. It’s as apt under Moyes as it was in the Fergie era; there’s just no way of knowing who’ll play. If you’d only ever met United fans, you’d think Januzaj had scored 20 goals this season. He's scored 3. He’s still owned by 10% because he’s cheaper than chips and had been playing pretty well for a young’un (even though it wasn’t really translating into consistent points) but his playing time has been slashed dramatically since RVP’s return and, well, see rule 1.

Defenders/De Gea

Vidic is off to Inter in the summer. Rio will probably be hanging up his boots (if not he should be) and United conceded two goals (real life goals, not dodgy penalties or nothin’) at home to Fulham. That’s all you need to know really.

All right so they’ve made back to back clean sheets at Arsenal and Palace but whom are you going to put in? Evra? He costs more than the sun (£6.5m). Vidic (£5.8m)? He’s also spenny, has his mind set on Italy and hasn’t scored once this season.

Smalling (£5.1m) is the only decent option but when Evans and Jones return, Moyes could revert to rotation at the back. Steer well clear. Old Trafford just ain’t the fortress it used to be.

For more Bantasy Football, go to: http://bantasyfootball.blogspot.co.uk/ or follow us @BantasyFootball